Bobbin transfer mechanism



Oct. 17, 1944. v P, U'E IN I 2,360,490

BOBBIN TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 16, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet l Ernesf P Guerin WITNESS Oct. 17, 1944. p; U N 2,360,490

BOBBIN TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 16, 1939 e Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.5.

Ernesf P duerin I WITNLSS Oct. 17, 1944. E. P. GUERIN I ,49

BOBBIN TRANSFER MECHANISM.

Filed Dec. 16, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet-4 Ernesl P 'Gue rin WITNESS Oct. 17, 1944. 1 l GUERlN 2,360,490

BOBBIN TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 16, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 15 v 59 44' j A; I J8, '9'."

Ernesf P. Ciuerl'n Oct. 17, 1944. E. P. GU RIN 2,360,490

BOBBIN TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Dec 16, 1959 I e Sheets-Sheet e Patented Oct. 17, 1944 BOBBIN TRANSFER MECHANISM Ernest P. Guerin, Lawrence, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 16, 1939, Serial No. 309,667

31 Claims.

The invention relates to looms of the drop box type in which the picks are performed by successively moving shuttles and in which provision is made (controlled by a bobbin feeler) for the automatic transfer of bobbins as the fillings become exhausted. In present day looms of this character, the shuttles reach the top shuttle box at the magazine end of the loom in predetermined order, and with a certain predetermined box and shuttle movement, a shuttle always remains in said box from the time it is received therein, until after the lay has moved to one extreme position, returned to its other extreme position and again moved to said one extreme position; and one of the foremost objects of my invention is to provide a generally improved and simplified bobbin transfer mechanism for this type of loom which will- (1) feel the bobbin of the aforesaid shuttle when the lay moves to said one extreme position; (2) completely place a new bobbin at transfer position under the transfer hammer while the lay is in said one extreme position if the felt bobbin be empty; and (3) set the lay-operated actuator for said transfer hammer in readiness for action while the lay is in said on extreme position. Thus, the next time the lay moves to said extreme position, the transfer hammer will be actuated to drive the new bobbin into the shuttle and eject the exhausted bobbin therefrom. The transfer may thus be effected with an unusuall simple mechanism disposed entirely at one end of the lay and entirely at the magazine end of the loom; no time is wasted between the feel and the transfer; and no pick with an exhausted shuttle can occur.

Experience has taught that a vertical bobbin magazine in which the filled bobbins are stacked, is the most desirable, and a further object of the invention is to provide a novel transfer mechanism in which this type of magazine is employed and in which improved and simplified means are provided for delivering the bobbins alternately from two vertical stacks to transfer position. The bobbin delivering means is settable to deliver from either stack and a setting member is provided for said settable means, said setting member being normally in an inactive position but being movable to an operative position in which it will be operated by one of the movements of the loom lay to the aforesaid extreme position; and another object of the invention is to make novel provision for moving said setting member to said operative position simultaneously with delivery of a bobbin from one stack when the lay is at the aforesaid extreme position. Thus, upon the next movement of the lay to said extreme position, effecting transfer, said setting member will be operated and the bobbin delivering means will be set in readiness to take the next bobbin from the other stack.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a primary actuator connected for vertical movement with the shuttle boxes at the magazine end of the loom and operable when the feeler engages an empty bobbin to(l) place a filled bobbin at transfer position; (2) set the transfer hammer actuator in readiness for operation; and (3) position the aforesaid setting member in readiness for operation, thus effecting a further simplification over present day transfer mechanisms.

Yet another object is to provide a novel feeler mechanism which will feel the bobbin the first time the shuttle is moved toward the feeler by movement of the lay to the aforesaid extreme position, and will then be held in such a retracted position that it cannot strike the same bobbin filling when the lay next moves to said extreme position, reducing useless wear on the filling, the feeler, however, being released in ample time to feel the next bobbin. This feeler-holding means also prevents possible recoil of the feeler, after movement by a bobbin filling, to a position in which it might accidentally start an unnecessary transfer operation.

In the above, I have referred to performing certain operations when the lay is at one extreme of its movement. To avoid complications, this extreme is preferably the front center position of the lay, that is, the position which the lay occupies when the usual crank shaft is at front center. The invention has been illustrated accordingly and will be so described, with the understanding, however, that variations may be made of the present disclosure.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a front elevation of the magazine end of a loom embodying my improvements.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a similar view on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the settable means for releasing the bobbins from the stacks, the transfer hammer and its operating means, and the feeler-controlled means for operating said bobbin-releasing means, for moving the setting member of this means into position for operation, and for setting the hammer actuator in position for operation.

, Figure 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the movement of parts which has efiected release of a bobbin, movement of the setting member to operative position and movement of the hammer actuator to operative position.

Figure 6 is a perspective view similar to a portion of Figs. 4 and 5 but illustrating the manner in which return of the setting member from the position of Fig. 5 to that of Fig. 4, will set the bobbin-releasing means to release the next bobbin from the other stack.

Figure '7 is a detail horizontal section on line 7-1 of Fig. 3 showing the feeler mechanism and the friction dog for holding the feeler slide in retracted position.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but illustrating the manner in which the dog is released when the feeler mechanism descends.

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing more particularly the feeler mechanism.

In the drawings above briefly described, a portion of the loom end frame at the magazine end of the loom, is shown at In in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Bolted or otherwise secured at H to this frame portion, is the main supporting bracket I2 for the magazine l3, said bracket being secured to one of the vertical end plates M of said magazine. The other end of the magazine is illustrated at I5, and the two ends l4 and I5 are connected in the usual way by suitable rods or the like I6. Each of the magazine ends l4 and I5 is provided with two vertical guides for two stacks of filled bobbins, and said guides of the end M are illustrated at I! and H in Fig. 3. At the lower ends of the guides are two pivoted cradles l8 and I 8' to support the two stacks of bobbins, said cradles being constructed to deliver the bobbins one at a time directly to transfer position when rocked. A bobbin in this position is shown at B in Figs. 3 and 5, and the magazine I3 is provided with the usual means for temporarily supporting said bobbin in this transfer position. Portions of this means are shown at l9 and 20 in Figs. 2 and 3, associated with the lower end ofthe magazine end member l4, and another portion of said means is shown at 2| at the lower end of the magazine end l5 in Fig. 1. The means in question yieldably supports the bobbin B in transfer position under the usual transfer hammer 22 which is shown more particularly in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. This transfer hammer is rigidly carried by one end of a bell crank 23 which is fulcrumed at 24 on a horizontal rod 25, the other end of said bell crank 23 being provided with a pivoted latch 26 which, during the normal operation of the loom hangs in the position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The transfer hammer and its latch are conventional and the spring which normally holds said hammer in raised position, is shown at 26' in Fig. 1. The rod 25 is rigidly secured at 2! to the bracket I2 and said rod rigidly supports a downwardly projecting brackets 28 (see Figs. 1, 3 and 9), the lower end of said bracket 28 being provided with a vertical guide 29' for a vertically movable slide 36 which is connected for movement vertically with the shuttle boxes 3|. and 32 at the magazine end of the loom. These shuttle boxes are mounted in the usual lay-carried guides which are indicated at 33 in Figs. 1 and 2. At 34 in these same figures, I have illustrated a rod constituting part of the conventional means for raising and lowering the boxes 3| and 32, and at 35 another rod has been illustrated connecting rod 34 with the vertically movable slide 33 to effect ascent and descent of the latter as the boxes ascend and descend. As

will later appear, this slide 30 constitutes a primary actuator for a number of the movable parts of the improved transfer mechanism.

The upper end of the slide 30 carries a conventional horizontally slidable feeler slide 36 upon which is mounted the customary bobbin feeler 31. As will be clear from Fig. 2, the feeler 31 is positioned to feel the bobbin B of a shuttle S while the latter is in the upper shuttle box 3|, and the parts are so related that said feeler will feel the bobbin in the first of two feeling actions when the loom lay moves to front center, while the shuttle boxes and feeler are half raised and are moving upward and Whenever a bobbin having ample filling, thereon engages the feeler, the feeler slide 36 is forced to a retracted position. However, if the feeler 31 engages an empty bobbin, it simply skids thereon in the usual way and rocks about its pivot 3'! without retracting the feeler slide 38. At this time, therefore, I am enabled to make use of the slide 36 to establish an operating connection from the primary actuator or slide 30 to a vertically movable member 38, which member performs a number of operations as hereinafter explained. Member 38 is preferably a vertically swingable arm pivoted at 39 to the bracket 28 as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and a number of the perspective views.

A rod 46 is pivoted to the member 38 at its lower end and to a vertical rod 4| at its upper end, the lower end of said rod 4| having the customary connection 42 with the transfer latch 26 as shown more particularly in the perspective views but also shown to Some extent at least in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The above described member 38 is above the feeler slide 36,. and this feeler slide is provided with an upstanding lug 36' shown more particularly in the perspective views but illustrated also in Figs. 1 and 3. Whenever the feeler slide 36 ascends with the slide 30 and the shuttle boxes 3| and 32 when the loom lay is at front-center, if the feeler 31 engages a bobbin. having a substantial amount of filling, the slide 36 will be retracted and the lug 36' will clear the member 38 without moving the latter. However, if the feeler 31 engages an empty bobbin and does not push the slide 36 to retracted position, lug 36 strikes the-member 38, thus upwardly moving the rod 40 and causing it to upwardly move the rod 4|, thus lifting the latch 26 to the position shown in Fig. 5, in which position, it will be struck by member 59 on the lay upon the next front center movement of the lay, to actuate the transfer hammer 22. Simultaneously with setting of the latch 26 in the Fig. 5 position, one or the other of the cradles l8 and I8 is rocked to dispose a bobbin at transfer position under the hammer, as also seen in Fig. 5. Also, simultaneously with setting of the latch 26, a setting member 43 for the cradle-operating means is moved from the normally inactive position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 5, in which latter position, it will be struck by the loom lay the next time the latter moves to front center. When so struck, the setting member 43 sets the cradle-operating means in such manner that upon the next operation of this means, a bobbin will be taken fro-m the other stack instead of from the stack which supplied the bobbin just placed at transfer position. The operation of the member 43 can of course be better understood after a description of the cradle-operating means which will now follow.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6, it will be seen that two upwardly converging individual actuating rods 44 and 44' are provided for the cradles l8 and I8 respectively. Toward their upper ends, these rods are slidable in suitable guides 45 carried .by the end l4 of the magazine 3, and at their lower ends, said rods are pivoted at 46 to crank arms 41 on the cradles I8 and I8. Both rods 44 and 44 are normally held in raised positions by coil springs 48 (Fig. 2)' and when said rods are so held, the cradles I8 and I8 remain in bobbin-supporting positions. A master actuator 49 is provided to push downwardly on either one of the rods 44 and 44 to operate one or the other of the cradles l8 and I8 to effect movement of a bobbin B to transfer position, said master actuator 49 being settable in cooperative relation with either of said rods 44 and 44' as will be clear by comparing Figs. v l and 6. The setting member 43 above described is instrumental in performing this setting operation as will be hereinafter explained.

The master actuator 49 is loosely pivoted at 50 to an arm on a rock shaft 52 which is suitably mounted on the magazine end member I4. Shaft 52 is provided also with two other arms 53 and 54, the former being connected by a vertical link 55 with the setting member 43. The arm 54 is suitably connected at 56 with a lever 51 mounted on the magazine end member l4. The fulcrum of lever 51 is between the ends of said lever, one end of this lever is connected at 56 with the arm 54, and the other end of said lever is connected at 58 with the upper end of the above described rod 4|. It will thus be seen that whenever this rod 4| is pushed upwardly (by 30, 36, 36', 38 and 49), the rock shaft 52 will be rocked to cause arm 5| to force the master actuator 49 downwardly (see Fig. 5). The downward movement of the master actuator 49 causes it to downwardly force the rod 44 or 44' to tilt the cradle l8 or I8 and thus place a bobbin at transfer position under the hammer 22. The same movement of the shaft 52 which downwardly forces the master actuator 49 to effect placing of a bobbin at transfer position,

pulls upwardly on rod 55 and sets the setting also set the latch 26 in position to be struck F by the loom lay. The normal positions of 26 and 43 are illustrated in Fig. 4 and the set positions thereof in Fig. 5. While I have referred to the loom lay striking the latch 26, I may be more definite in this regard by making reference to Fig. 2 in which a flange 59 is carried by the front side of the vertically movable shuttle boxes, said flange being adapted to strike the latch 26. It may also be explained that it is preferably one of the shuttle box guides 33 which strikes the setting member 43. When this setting member is struck and the shaft 52 turned in a direction to again raise the master actuator 49, this master actuator is automatically swung from its position over the rod (44 or 44') which it last operated, into position over the other of these rods as will be clear by reference to Figs. 5 and 6. For effecting this swinging of the master actuator 49, I have shown a weight 60 pivoted at 6| to the magazine end member l4 and both pivotally and slidably connected with the master actuator 49 by means of a pin 62 and slot 63. Prior to operation of the master actuator 49 (see Fig. 4), the pin 62 rests upon the lower end of the slot 63 and supports the Weight 60. When the master actuator 49 is forced downwardly (Fig. 5), downward swinging of the weight 60 is prevented by one or the other of the stops 64. When the setting member 43 is struck and quickly turns the shaft 52 to move the master actuator 49 upwardly from the depressed position of Fig. 5, said master actuator kicks the Weight 69 upwardly and causes it to swing to the reversed position shown in Fig. 6, thus placing the master actuator 49 over the rod 44 with the result that the next time said master actuator is depressed, it will downwardly slide said rod 44 to operate cradle I8. It will thus be seen that for one transfer operation, a bobbin will be taken from one stack of the magazine and for the next transfer operation, a bobbin will be taken from the other stack.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the means for operating the cradle l8 or I8, the means for setting the lay-actuated latch 26, and the means for setting the lay-actuated setting member 43, all include the upwardly movable member 38. It will also be clear that if the feeler 31 feels an empty bobbin and thus does not retract the feeler slide 36 as the slide or primary actuator 39 ascends, the lug 36 on said feeler slide will raise said member 38, thus dropping a bobbin directly to transfer position under the transfer hammer 22, setting the latch 26 in position for operation, and setting the setting member 43 in position for operation. It will be recalled that the bobbin feeling occurred at front center with regard to the lay movement, and as the parts 26 and 43 were set with the lay at front center, the next time said lay moves to front center, it will strike parts 26 and 43, thus operating the hammer 22 to drive the filled bobbin into the top shuttle and drive the empty therefrom, and at the same time causing the setting member 43 to move the master actuator 49 from cooperative relation with the rod (44 or 44) which it has previously operated and set said master actuator in cooperative relation with the other rod.

The shuttle S (Fig. 2) remains in the top shuttle box 3| from the time it is received in said box until the lay has moved to front center, moved to back center, again moved to front center and left front center. Thus, with an ordinary feeler arrangement, the feeler 3'! would feel the bobbin filling twice, that is, once upon each movement of the lay to front center. As the second feeling takes place when the shuttle-boxes and feeler are fully raised and when the latter cannot invoke replenishment and being on the same portion of the filling would be injurious thereto I therefore prefer to provide means for holding the feeler slide retracted when it is first moved to retracted position by engagement of the bobbin filling with the feeler. To accomplish this, I provide the construction illustrated more particularly in Figs. '7, 8 and 9. From these views, it will be seen that a friction dog 65 is pivotally mounted upon the guide 66 of the feeler slide 36, in position to frictionally engage said feeler slide when it is moved to retracted position. When this movement occurs, the shuttle boxes at the magazine end of the loom are in half raised position and said sh uttle boxes are fully raised when the lay next moves to front center. Upon this second movement of the lay to front center, the bobbin filling which was previously felt and effected retraction of the slide 36, will not again be felt. Before the filling of another bobbin must be engaged by the feeler 31, the shuttle boxes have lowered and the slides 30 and 36 have lowered, and I make provision whereby this lowering will automatically release the dog 65, permitting the usual spring of the slide 36 to again project this slide to dispose the feeler 31 in position to feel the next bobbin. In the present disclosure, a cam Bl, preferably in the form of a spring, is secured at 68 to the bracket 28 above described, said cam being cooperable with the tail 69 of the dog 65 to release said dog when the slides 30 and. 36 lower. A suitable adjusting screw may well be provided for the cam 67.

In addition to performing the function above described, the dog 65 prevents the feeler slide 36 from possibly recoiling after the feeler has been struck, to such an extent as to accidentally cause the lug 36 to engage the vertically movable member 38. Thus, the possibility of bringing the transfer mechanism into play when it is not desired or needed, is overcome.

During the transferring operation already described the exhausted bobbin in the shuttle of the top box 3| will be forced downwardly through the shuttle box 32, which, as already described, will be empty at this time to permit discharge of the exhausted bobbin. The lower box 32 is empty at the time of transfer due to the fact that a shuttle was picked from it upon completion of the rising motion of the boxes and that the next weaving shuttle to be picked into it from the opposite side of the loom has not yet had time to enter the bottom box when the lay again reaches front center position to effect transfer. I have found in actual practice that the exhausted bobbin will pass through the lower box 32 without altering the latter from its usual construction and without manipulating any part of the lower shuttle box to accommodate the outgoing bobbin,

It will be seen from the foregoing that a relatively simple and compact structure has been provided for carrying out the objects of the invention, all necessary parts being located at the magazine end of the loom and at one end of the lay. Feeling is accomplished at front center and if an empty bobbin is felt, one or the other of the cradles l8 and I8 immediately acts to directly place a filled bobbin at transfer position under the transfer hammer 22. Simultaneously with this operation, the latch 26 is set in position for operation and the setting member 43 is set in position for operation. Consequently, upon the next forward movement of the lay, the latch 26 will be operated to effect bobbin transfer and the setting member 43 will be simultaneously operated to so set the bobbin-releasing means that upon its next operation, it will release from the other stack instead of from the stack which supplied the last bobbin transferred. The feeler 31 will not twice feel the same filling at the same spot but will be held retracted by the dog 65 after it has first felt said filling, but said dog will be released and the feeler again positioned for operation by the time it must feel the next bobbin filling.

Excellent results are obtainable from the gencral construction shown and described but attention is invited to the fact that numerous variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a loom, a magazine for two vertical stacks of bobbins, bobbin release means for the lower bobbins, individual actuators for the bobbin release means of the two stacks, a normally idle vertically movable member near said individual actuators, a master actuator operable by and connected with said vertically movable member for movement into cooperative relation with either of said individual actuators, means for moving said vertically movable member in one direction to move said master actuator in one direction and cause it to operate one of said individual actuators, means for later restoring said movable member to its normal position to return said master actuator, and a pivotally mounted weight operatively connected with said master actuator for setting the same in cooperative relation with the other of said individual actuators when said master actuator is returned, said weight being swingable to two positions at the right and left of its pivot to set said master actuator in cooperative relation with said individual actuators, the connection between said pivoted weight and said master actuator being operable to kick said pivoted weight from either of said positions to the other when said master actuator is returned after operation.

2. In a loom, a magazine for two vertical stacks of bobbins, bobbin release means for the lower bobbins, individual actuators for the bobbin release means of the two stacks, a normally idle vertically movable member near said individual actuators, a master actuator operable by and connected with said vertically movable member for movement into cooperative relation with either of said individual actuators, means for moving said vertically movable member in one direction to move said master actuator in one direction and cause it to operate one of said individual actuators, means for later restoring said movable member to its normal position to return said master actuator, and a pivotally mounted weight pivotally and slidably connected with said master actuator for setting the same in cooperative relation with the other of said individual actuators when said master actuator is returned, said weight being swingable to two positions at the right and left of its pivot to set said master actuator in cooperative relation with said individual actuators, the pivotal and slidable connection between said pivoted weight and said master actuator being operable to kick said pivoted weight from either of said positions to the other when said master actuator is returned after operation.

3. In a loom, a magazine for two vertical stacks of bobbins, two movable supports for the two stacks each operable to release the lower bobbin from its respective stack for movement to transfer position, two individual actuating rods connected with said supports respectively and movable downwardly for operating the same, a horizontal rock shaft mounted above said rods and having two arms one of which is disposed about centrally over said rods, a master actuator hung loosely from said one arm to push downwardly on one of said rods when said master actuator has been swung to one inclined position and to push downwardly on the other of said rods when said master actuator has been swung to another inclined position, means for rocking said rock shaft in one direction to cause said one arm to push said master actuator downwardly when the latter occupies either one of said inclined positions, a pivotally mounted weight pivotally and slidably connected with said master actuator and operable to swing said master actuator to the other of said inclined positions when said rock shaft is turned in the other direction and said one arm pulls said master actuator upwardly, a link hung from the other of said arms, and a bell crank having a horizontal arm pivoted to said link and another arm to be struck by the loom lay, said bell crank being operable to turn said rock shaft in said other direction.

4. In a weft replenishing loom having vertically shifting shuttle boxes, a reserve bob-bin magazine, and a weft feeler all at the same end of the loom, a movable member at said end of the loom connected to the shifting shuttle boxes to rise and fall as said shuttle boxes rise a d fall, mechanism for releasing a reserve bobbin from said magazine for movement toward transfer position, a normally idle actuator for the releasing mechanism, and means controlled by said weft feeler to connect said movable member to said actuator to cause said movable member to move said actuator and thereby cause the latter to operate said release mechanism at such times only as said feeler encounters a shuttle depleted of weft.

5. In a weft replenishing loom having vertically shifting shuttle boxes, a reserve bobbin magazine, and a weft feeler all at the same end of the loom, a vertically movable member at said end of the loom connected to th shifting shuttle boxes to rise and fall as said shuttle boxes rise and fall, mechanism for releasing a reserve bobbin from said magazine for movement to transfer position, a normally idle actuator for said bobbin releasing mechanism mounted for upward movement to effect release of a bobbin in the magazine, and means controlled by said feeler to connect said vertically movable member to said actuator during ascent of said vertically movable member to cause upward movement of the releasing mechanism by a force derived from said member and transmitted through said mechanism at such times only as said feeler encounters a shuttle depleted of weft.

6. In a Weft replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay and having also vertically shifting shuttle boxes and a reserve bobbin magazine, both the shuttle boxes and magazine being located at one end of the loom, a shuttle remaining in the top shuttle box from one extreme front position of the lay until after the lay has next returned to said extreme front position, a weft feeler at said one end of the loom to detect the weft in the top shuttle box when the lay is first in said extreme front position, vertically moving mounting means for the feeler to cause said feeler to rise and fall as the shuttle boxes rise and fall and position said feeler to detect the weft in the top shuttle box, mechanism for releasing and advancing a bobbin in the magazine toward transfer position, means controlled by said feeler to connect said mechanism to said mounting to cause the latter by upward movement thereof to operate said mechanism at such times onl as said feeler encounters a shuttle depleted of weft in said top shuttle box when the lay is first in said extreme front position, and transfer means for effecting transfer of the released bobbin into the top shuttle box upon the next movement of the lay to said extreme front position.

'7. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay reciprocating between extreme front and back positions and having also verticall shifting shuttle boxes and a reserve magazine, the shuttle boxes and magazine being located at one end of the lay, a shuttle remaining in the top shuttle box from one extreme front position of the lay until after the lay has next returned to said extreme front position, a weft feeler to detect the weft in the top shuttle box when the lay is first in said extreme front position, vertically moving means to mount said Weft feeler for rising and falling vertical movement as the shuttle boxes rise and fall while the lay is in the front part of its reciprocating movement and maintain the feeler in position to feel the weft in said top shuttle box during rising of said feeler when the lay first moves to said extreme front position, normally stationary mechanism movable to initiate movement of a reserve weft carrier in the magazine toward transfer position, means controlled by said feeler at such times only as the latter encounters a shuttle depleted of weft in the top shuttle box as said feeler rises to connect said vertically moving means to said mechanism to move the latter by upward motion of the vertically moving means and initiate movement of a reserve bobbin in the magazine toward transfer position while the lay first occupies said extreme front position, and means for effecting bobbin transfer into the top shuttle box the next time the lay comes to said extreme front position,

8. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay which reciprocates between front and back extreme positions and having also vertically shifting shuttle boxes, a reserve bobbin magazine, and a weft feeler all at one end of the loom, a shuttle remaining in the top shuttle box from one extreme front position of the lay until after the lay has next returned to said extreme'front position, a transfer hammer and lay operated latch for said transfer hammer operable by the lay upon movement thereof to extreme front position but normally out of the path of the lay, vertically reciprocating 'means mounting said feeler for rising and falling vertical movement as th shuttle boxes rise and fall to position the feeler to feel the weft of the shuttle in said top shuttle box when the lay first moves to said one extreme front position, a normally stationary actuator to be raised by the feeler upon rising movement thereof at such times only as the feeler encounters a shuttle depleted of weft in the top shuttle box when the lay first moves to said one extreme front position, means controlled by said actuator when the latter is raised by the feeler to initiate movement of a reserve bobbin in the magazine toward transfer position under said transfer hammer while the lay is first in said one extreme front position, and means also controlled by said actuator when the latter is moved by the feeler for disposing said latch in position to be struck by the lay to cause operation of the transfer hammer to transfer the bobbin thereunder into the shuttle in said top shuttle box when the lay next moves to said extreme front position.

9. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay reciprocating between extreme front and back positions and having also vertically shifting shuttle boxes which rise and fall with respect to the lay and a magazine provided with a plurality of stacks of reserve bobbins, the shuttle boxes and magazine being located on one end of the loom, a shuttle remaining in the top shuttle box from one extreme front position of the lay until after the lay has next returned to said extreme front position, a releasing means for each stack, each releasing means to initiate movement of a bobbin in the corresponding stack toward transfer position, settable means positioned to actuate the releasing means one at a time and normally set to operate one of said releasing means, said settable means having a lay actuated setting member operable by the lay when the latter first moves to said extreme front position but normally out of the lay path, a weft feeler on said end of the loom to detect the weft in the top shuttle when the lay first moves to said extreme front position, means to cause the feeler to rise and fall as the boxes rise and fall and position said feeler to feel the bobbin in the top shuttle box, means operated by said feeler upon upward motion thereof when the feeler encounters an mpty shuttle in the top shuttle box to operate said settable means to actuate the bobbin releasing means when the lay is first in said extreme front position and also move said setting member into position to be struck by the lay upon the next movement of the lay to extreme front position, se1ecting means connected to the settable means and operated by the setting member when the latter is struck by the lay to move the settable means to a position to actuate another of said releasin means, and means for effecting bobbin transfer into the top shuttle box when the lay has said next movement to extreme front position.

10. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay which reciprocates between front and back extreme positions, the loom having also vertically shifting shuttle boxes which rise and fall with respect to the lay and a magazine provided with a plurality of stacks of reserve bobbins, the shuttle boxes and magazine being on one end of the loom, a shuttle remaining in the top shuttle box from one extreme front position of the lay until after the lay has next returned to said extreme front position, a releasing means for each stack to initiate movement of a bobbinin the corresponding stack toward transfer position, settable means for actuating the releasing means one at a time and normally set to actuate one of said releasing means, said settable means having a layactuated setting member operable by the lay upon movement thereof to extreme front position but normally out of the path of the lay, bobbin transfer means having a, latch'operable by the lay when the latter moves to said next front position but normally-out of the path of the lay, a weft feeler for the top shuttle box, vertically reciprocating mounting mean for said feeler to cause the latter to rise and fall as the drop boxes rise and fall and be positioned to-feel the weft in the shuttle in the top shuttle box when the lay first moves to said extreme front position, means controlled by said feeler and caused thereby at such times only as the feeler is rising and encounters an empty shuttle in the top shuttle box while the lay first occupies said extreme front position to connect said mounting mean to said settable means to cause the latter to actuate said one releasing means and initiate movement of a reserve bobbin in the corresponding stack toward transfer position and simultaneously move said setting member and said latch into position to be struck by the lay upon the next movement of the lay to said extreme front position, andselecting means connected to the settable means and operated by the setting member when the latter is struck by the lay on said next movement thereof to move the settable means to a position for operating another of said releasing means when the loom has another replenishing operation.

11. In a weft replenishing loom having alay,

' upper and lower vertically shiftable shuttle boxes and a magazine provided with two vertical stacks of reserve bobbins, all atone end thereof, a transfer hammer at the magazine end of the loom, a lay-operated latch for said hammer normallyout of the lay path, means for setting said latch in said lay path, means for releasing bobbins from the magazine and initiating movement of said released bobbin toward transfer position under the transfer hammer, operating means for said bobbin-releasing means settable to release a-bobbin from either of said stacks, said operating means having a lay-actuated setting member normally out of the lay path,'means for'po-sitioning said setting member in the lay path, a primary actuator connected to the shuttle boxes and mounted to move upwardly when the shuttle boxes at the magazine end of the loom rise, a. weftfeeler rising and falling as the boxes rise and fall to detect the weft in the top shuttle box, and means, the position of which is determined by the feeler, caused by said feeler, at such times only as the latter is rising and encounters a shuttle depleted of weft in the top shuttle box, to connect said primary actuator, as the latter rises to said operating means for said bobbin-releasing means to operate the latter and to simultaneously connect said primary actuator to said positioning means for said setting member, to cause the latter to be set in the path of the lay, and to simultaneously connect said primary actuator to said setting means for said latch to move the latter into the path of the lay, said latch, said setting member therefor and feeler being all disposed at said one end of the loom.

12. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay, upper and lower vertically shifta'ble shuttle boxes and a magazine provided with two vertical stacks of reserve bobbins all at one end thereof, a transfer hammer forming part of the magazine, a lay operated latch for said hammer normally out of the lay path, an upwardly movable member for setting said latch in the lay path, a releasing 'means for each stack for releasing bobbins from said stacks for movement toward transfer position under said hammer, operating means for said bobbin releasing means settable to operate the latter one at a time to release a bobbin from either of said stacks, a lay actuated setting member for said settable operating means normally out of the lay path, means connected to said upwardly movable memberfor positioning said settin member in the lay path when said member moves upwardly, a vertically reciprocatory primary actuator connected to the drop boxes to rise and fall as the drop boxes rise and fall, a feeler slide mounted on said primary actuator and having a portion to lift the aforesaid upwardly movable member unless said feeler slide is moved to inoperative position as said primary actuator ascends, and a bobbin feeler on said feeler slide to move the latter to inoperative position as said primary actuator ascends unless said feeler engages an empty bobbin in the top of the shuttle box, said feeler, latch, and setting means all being disposed at the same end of the loom.

13. In a weft replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay provided with a shuttle box at one end thereof, a magazine having two vertical stacks of reserve bobbins at said one end of the loom, a movable bobbin support for each'stack operable to release the lowest bobbin of its respective stack for movement to transfer position, two individual actuators connected one to each of said supports for operating the latter, a master actuator for said individual actuators settable for cooperative relation with one or'the otherof said individual actuators, a setting member-connected to the selecting means to move therewith, said setting member being normally out of the lay path, a weft feeler to feel the weft in said shuttle box, feeler controlled means for giving said master actuator a working stroke from normal position to operate the individual actuator cooperatively related therewith, means for moving said setting member into the lay path when said master actuator is operating, the lay thereafter moving the setting member to cause the latter to give the master actuator a return stroke to normal position, and means actuated by the master actuator on the return stroke thereof to operate the selecting means and cause the latter to change its relationship with respect to the individual actuators.

14. In a weft replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay provided with a shuttle box at one end thereof, a magazine having two vertical stacks of reserve bobbins at said one end of the loom, a movable bobbin support for each stack operable to release the lowest bobbin of its respective stack for movement to transfer position, two individual actuating rods connected with said supports respectively and movable downwardly for operating said supports, a member movable from normally inactive position vertically to operative position and back to inactive position, a master actuator connected to and given a working stroke from normal idle position by said vertically movable member when the latter moves from inactive to operative position, a weft feeler to feel the weft in said shuttle box, feeler controlled means for moving said vertically movable member from its normal inactive to its operative position to cause said master actuator to have a .working stroke to actuate one or the other of the individual actuators, a lay actuated setting member for returning said vertically movable member from operative to normal inactive position, said setting member being normally out of the lay path, means for moving said setting member into the lay path when said master actuatorhas a working stroke, and the lay thereafter moving the setting member to cause the master actuator to return to normal position, selector means to determine the position of the master actuator relatively to the individual actuator rods and operated by a force derived from the setting member when the latter is moved by the lay to change the relation of the master actuator relatively to the individual actuator rods.

15. In a weft replenishing loo-m having a lay movable between front and back extreme positions and provided with two shifting shuttle boxes at one end thereof to cooperate with a plurality of shuttles one of which remains in the top shuttle box from one extreme front position of the lay until after the lay has next returned to said extreme front position, a magazine at said one end of the loom to supply reserve bobbins over said shifting shuttle boxes, bobbin-changing means having an actuator to be lifted, a primary actuator connected to the shuttle boxes to ascend and descend as the shuttle boxes ascend and descend, a horizontally slida'ble feeler slide mounted on said primary actuator, yielding means to hold the feeler slide normally in rearward feeling position and yielding to permit said feeler slide to move to a front position, said feeler slide having a portion to lift the first named actuator as said pri- ,mary actuator ascends with said shuttle boxes unless said feeler slide then occupies a front position, a weft feeler on said feeler slide for moving the' ;same to said front position unless said feeler engages an empty supply of weft in the top shuttle box, said feeler being positioned to feel when the lay first moves to said extreme front position, means for holding said feeler slide in said front position from the time it is once forced to said front position until after the lay has next returned to and left the aforesaid extreme front position, and means for then releasin said holding means.

16. In a weft replenishing loom, a magazine having two stacks of reserve bobbins, a bobbin releaser for the lowest bobbin of each stack, individual operators for the releasers, a master actuator for said operators having an operating stroke and a subsequent return stroke whenever a replenishing operation of the loo-m is called and irrespective of whether or not the loom has a replenishing operation, a selector connected to said master actuator and movable to register with said operators one at a time, an operating stroke of the master actuator causing the selector to move the operator aligned therewith to operate the associated releaser, and a return stroke of the master actuator causing the selector to move out of alignment with the previously moved operator and into alignment with the other operator.

17. In a weft replenishing loom, a magazine having a plurality of stacks of reserve bobbins, a boloibin releaser for each stack, an operator for each releaser, a master actuator for said operators having an operating stroke and a return stroke whenever a replenishing operation of the loom is called and irrespective of whether or not the loom has a replenishing operation, a selector connected to and moving with the master actuator and movable to register with said operators one at a time, an operating stroke of said master actuator causing the selector to move the operator of any given releaser with which said selector is registered to operate said given releaser, and a return stroke of said master actuator causing said selector to move into register with a different operator.

18. In a selector control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a plurality of stacks of reserve bobbins and a bobbin releaser for each stack, in combination, an actuating member, means to give said member an initial movement in one direction, means to give said member a return stroke each time a replenishing operation of the loom is called and irrespective of whether the called operation is completed, a stack selector mounted for movement to register with any selected releaser, a positioner for the stack selector, and a connector operated by a force derived from said actuating member and during each return stroke of said member and each time a replenishing operation is called, and said connector being effective through said positioner to shift the selector from registry with one of said releasers to registry with another releaser in a predetermined order.

' 19. In a bobbin-changing loom using a plurality of shuttles and having vertically shifting shuttle boxes, a reserve bobbin magazine and a weft feeler all at the same side of the loom; bobbin-releasing mechanism for releasing a reserve bobbin from said magazine for transfer into the upper box of said shifting shuttle boxes, a vertically movable member at said end of the loom connected to the shifting shuttle boxes to rise and fall as said shuttle boxes rise and fall, said weft feeler mounted on said movable member for movement therewith to detect the Weft in the nism, controlled and set in action by vertical movement of the weft feeler when weft exhaustion is indicated thereby, to actuate the bobbin releasing mechanism.

20. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay reciprocating between front and back center positions and having shifting shuttle boxes at one end thereof, the boxes at said one end of the lay having a top cell which moves upwardly away from picking position to transfer position during the first part of a period starting when the lay is moving toward front center position and continuing until after the lay has had two successive movements to front center position, a reserve bobbin magazine located on the same side of the loom as said top cell and positioned to transfer a bobbin into said top cell when the lay is in front center position, a weft detector located in front of the lay and at said same side of the loom and rising and falling as the shuttle boxes rise and fall and continuously in register with said top cell and indicating weft exhaustion in said top cell when the lay is in the first of said two successive front center positions, a bobbin releaser on th magazine movable to advance a reserve bobbin towards transfer position, an actuator for the releaser capable of having a working stroke from normal position to operate said releaser and thereafter having a reverse return stroke back to normal position, means operatively connecting the detector with the actuator on indication of weft exhaustion and causing the actuator to have a working stroke and to thereby operate the releaser when the detector indicates weft exhaustion in said top cell and when the lay is first in front center position and to cause a fresh bobbin to move toward transfer position,

and transfer mechanism called into action by said actuator when the latter has a working stroke and operative to move said bobbin into said top cell when the lay approaches front center position for the second time.

21. In a weft replenishing loom as set forth in claim 20, the feature that means i provided to communicate an indication of weft exhaustion to the magazine during upward movement only of said shifting shuttle boxes.

22. In a weft replenishing loom as set forth in claim 20, the features that two box cells only are provided at the magazine side of the loom, that both of these cells always contain shuttles when the weft is detected in the shuttle in the top cell, that the shuttle in the lower box cell i always picked to the opposite side of the loom before transfer of a fresh bobbin to the shuttle in the top cell takes place, and that means is provided to communicate an indication of weft exhaustion to the magazine during upward movement only of said shifting shuttle boxes.

23. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay which reciprocates between front and back center position, the loom operating with a set of shuttles all carrying the same kind of weft and following each other in a rotation such that each shuttle is followed by another shuttle, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes into the upper of which the shuttle are picked one at a time at regular intervals during loom operation, said boxes being on one end of the lay and shifting upwardly after the top box has received one of the shuttles during a period beginning when the lay is moving toward a front center position and continuing until after the lay has passed the front center position and is moving re'arwardly, said boxes thereafter remaining up with said one of the shuttles at rest with respect to the lay until the lay next reaches front center position, a weft detector in front of the boxes to detect the condition of Weft in the top shuttle box, lifting means to move the weft detector upwardly during the box shifting period as the boxes are rising to maintain the detector in detecting position relatively to the top shuttle box, a magazine having reserve bobbins at said one end of the loom, releasing means for the reserve bobbins in the magazine, means controlled by the weft detector and caused thereby at such times only as the detector detects weft exhaustion in the top shuttle box during said box shifting period to connect the lifting means to the release means to initiate release of a reserve bobbin from the magazine during the box shifting period for movement to transfer position, and transfer mechanism to insert the released bobbin into the top shuttle box when the lay next reaches front center position.

24. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay which reciprocates between front and back center position, the loom operating with a set of shuttles-all carrying the same kind of weft and following each other in a rotation such that each shuttle is followed by another shuttle, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes into the upper of which the shuttles are picked one at a time at regular intervals during loom operation, said boxes being 'on one end of the lay and shifting upwardly after the top box has received one of the shuttles during a period of beginning when the lay is moving toward a front center position and continuing until after the lay has passed the front center position and is moving rearwardly, said boxes thereafter remaining up with said one of the shuttles at rest with respect to the lay until the lay next reaches front center position, a weft detector for the top shuttle box, lifting means to raise the weft detector during the box shifting interval to detect the condition of weft :in the top shuttle box during the box shifting period when the lay is first on a front center 7 position, means to hold a reserve bobbin on said one end of the loom, releasing means to operate the holding means to effect release of the reserve bobbin for movement toward a transfer position located over the shuttle boxes when the lay is in front center position, means controlled by the weft detector to connect the bobbin releasing means to the lifting means at such times only as the weft detector indicates weft exhaustion in the top shuttle box during the box shifting interval to cause said lifting means to operate the bobbin releasing means to release a bobbin, and transferring mechanism to transfer the released bobbin into the top shuttle box when the lay'next reaches front center position following completion of the box shifting interval.

25. Between a weft replenishing loom having a .lay which reciprocates between front and back center position, the loom operating with a set of shuttles all carrying the same kind of weft and following each other in a rotation such that each shuttle is followed by another shuttle, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes into the upper of which the shuttles are picked one at a time at regular intervals during loom operation, said boxes being on one end of the lay and shifting upwardly after the top box has received one of the shuttlesduring a period beginning when the said boxes thereafter remaining up with said one of the shuttles at rest with respect to the lay until the lay, next reaches front center position, a weft detector for the top shuttle box, lifting means to raise the weft detector as the boxes rise during the box shifting period, a magazine located on said one side of the 100m including a plurality of stacks of reserve bobbins, a release mechanism for each stack of bobbins, an actuator to cooperate with the release mechanisms one at a time, means to move the actuator progressively into register with the release mechanisms one at a time to operate the release mechanisms one after another during successive replenishing operations of the loom, means the position of which is determined by the detector and eifective during the box shifting period when said detector detects weft exhaustion in the top shuttle box to cause the actuator to initiate movement of the releasing means in register therewith to release a bobbin in the corresponding stack for movement toward transfer position, means to locate the bobbins derived from the several stacks in a common transfer position located over the shuttle boxes when the law is on front center position, and transfer mechanism to transfer 9, released bobbin in transfer position into the top shuttle box when the lay next moves to front center position.

26. In a weft replenishing loom operating with a plurality of Weaving shuttles, a pair of shuttle boxes which cooperate with the shuttles, a shuttle box actuator to raise the boxes when one of the shuttles is in the upper box, a weft detector connected to said actuator and rising when the shuttle boxes rise and detecting the weft in the shuttle in the upper box, a weft replenishing mechanism having reserve bobbins movable to transfer position, transfer mechanism to transfer a bobbin in transfer position into the shuttle in the upper box while the latter is in raised position, and means controlled by the weft detector when the latter indicates exhaustion of weft and operated by a force derived from said shuttle box actuator when the weft detector rises to release a reserve bobbin from the replenishing mechanism for movement to transfer position.

27. In a weft replenishing loom having a plurality of shuttles, a lay which completes a reciprocation between front and back center positions for each pick of the loom, a pair of shuttle boxes at one end of the lay shiftable with respect to the latter, a shuttle box actuator to raise the boxes with respect to the lay when one of the shuttles occupies the upper box during an interval starting while the lay is moving toward front center and continuing until the lay has moved on its backward stroke to a position between front and back center, a weft detector connected to said actuator and raised thereby when the shuttle boxes rise to cooperate with the shuttle in the upper box and indicate weft exhaustion when the lay is on front center position and the boxes are rising, weft replenishing mechanism containing reserve bobbins and including a part to release a reserve bobbin for movement to transfer position, connections between the weft detector and said part controlled by the detector when the latter indicates weft exhaustion and operated by a force derived from said actuator While the latter is raising said detector to move said part and thereby advance a reserve bobbin to transfer position, and a transferrer to transfer the bobbin in transfer position into the shuttle in the upper box while said shuttle boxes are raised with respect to the lay.

28. In a weft replenishing loom having a plurality of shuttles, a lay which completes a reciprocation between front and back center positions for each pick of the loom, a pair of shuttle boxes at one end of the lay shiftable with respect to the latter, a shuttle box actuator to raise the boxes with respect to the lay when one of the shuttles occupies the upper box during an interval starting while the lay is moving toward front center and continuing until the lay has moved on its backward stroke to a position between front and back center, a weft detector connected to said actuator and raised thereby when the shuttle boxes rise to indicate exhaustion of weft in a shuttle in the upper box when the lay is on front center and the boxes are rising, a weft replenishing mechanism containing a reverse bobbin, a part of said mechanism to be moved to advance the reserve bobbin toward transfer position, a transferrer for the reserve bobbin, an operating latch forming part of the transferrer normally in non-transferring position out of the path of the lay, and connections between the weft detector and said part and latch controlled by the weft detector when the latter indicates weft exhaustion in the shuttle of the upper box and operated by a force derived from said actuator while the latter is raising said weft detector to move said part to advance the reserve bobbin to transfer position and also move the latch from normal to transfer position into the path of the lay.

29. In a weft replenishing loom having a plurality of shuttles, a lay which completes a reciprocation between front and back center positions for each pick of the loom, a pair of shuttle boxes at one end of the lay shiftable with respect to the latter, a shuttle box actuator to raise the boxes with respect to the lay when one of the shuttles occupies the upper box during an interval starting while the lay is moving toward front center and continuing until the lay has moved on its backward stroke to a position between front and back center, a weft detector for the shuttle in the upper box, connections between the detector and said actuator causing the detector to rise when the shuttle boxes rise, the detector to indicate weft exhaustion when the lay is on front center position and the boxes and detector are rising, a weft replenishing mechanism having a reserve bobbin, a transferrer to insert the reserve bobbin into the shuttle in the upper shuttle box, a latch forming part of the transferrer normally in inoperative position out of the path of the lay, and connections between the weft detector and the latch controlled by the weft detector when the latter indicates weft exhaustion during the latter part of the rising of the shuttle boxes and operated by a force derived from said actuator while the latter is raising said weft detector to move said latch to operative position into the path of the lay as the latter is moving rearwardly, the lay on the next forward stroke thereof engaging the latch to cause the transferrer to insert the bobbin into the shuttle in the upper box while the boxes are raised.

30. In a weft replenishing loom having a plurality of shuttles, a lay which completes a reciprocation between front and back center positions for each pick of the loom, a pair of shuttle boxes at one end of the lay shiftable with respect to the latter, a shuttle box actuator to raise the boxes with respect to the lay when one of the shuttles occupies the upper box during an interval starting while the lay is moving toward front center and continuing until the lay has moved :on its backward stroke to a position between front and back centena weft detector carrier connected to said actuator and raised thereby when the shuttle boxes rise, a weft detector slidably mounted on the carrier and positioned for engagement with the shuttle in the upper shuttle box when the lay is on its front center position :and the boxes are rising, the weft detector sliding forwardly with respect to the carrier when sufficient weft :for continued weaving is present in the upper shuttle box, and said weft detector remaining in normal rearward position when indicating exhaustion of weft in said s'huttle,a weftreplenishing mechanism having a reserve bobbin, a part of the weft replenishing mechanism to be moved to advance the bobbin toward transfer position, an indicator connected to said part to be moved by the weft detector when the latter remains in normal rearward position during that part of the upward motion of the boxes which occurs while the lay is moving rearwardly from :the front center position to move said part by a force derived from said actuator-while the latter is raising said weft detectorand advance the bobbin toward transfer position, and *trans'ferrer mechanism to transfer the bobbin in transfer position into the shuttle in the upper .shuttle "box on the next forward beat ofithe lay while'th'eshuttle boxes are raised.

31. In a weft replenishing loom operating with a plurality of weaving shuttles, a pair of shuttle boxes which cooperate with the shuttles, a shuttle boxvactuator having two movements one of which raises the boxes when one of the shuttles is in the upper shuttle box on one pick of the loom and the other movement of which effects lowering of the shuttle boxes on the second pick .of the loom after said one pick, a weft detector connected to said actuator and raised thereby when the shuttle boxes rise and detecting the weft of the shuttle in the upper shuttle box and lowered by said actuator when said actuator effects lowering of the shuttle boxes .on said second pick after said one pick, a weft replenishing mechanism having a reserve bobbin movable to transfer position, transfer mechanism to transfer a bobbin in transfer position .into the shuttle in the upper shuttle box while the latter is in raised position, and means controlled by the weft de tector when the latter indicates exhaustion of weft and operated by a force derived from said actuator when the latter has said first movement only to assist in moving the reserve bobbin to transfer position, said actuator when having said second movement being ineffective to cooperate with the weft detector to assist said means to move a reserve bobbin 'to transfer position.

ERNEST P. GUERIN. 

